Friday, April 3, 2009

The Last Supper, Part 10 of 15

TEXT: "When [Jesus] had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. 'Do you understand what I have done for you?' he asked them. 'You call me "Teacher" and "Lord" and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them" (John 13:12-17).

IDEA: Jesus washing Peter's feet is a symbolic message that all Christians need to have daily cleansing.

PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that we not only need Christ's death "once for all" but we need His cleansing to live every day.

How would you evaluate this assertion: "It is difficult not to be corrupted by service."

I. Our service may benefit other people but corrupt us.

A leader can get people to contribute to a good cause but do it to receive applause.

Jesus told us to wash one another's feet (John 13:12-17). It's a pleasant feeling to help someone else lower than yourself. In a way the act puts others at your mercy.

All of us admire the virtue of humility, especially when we see it in ourselves.

[In John 13:6-13 we can find a way out of our dilemma that we are sometimes corrupted by our service to others.]

II. Holiness and humility are found together. [What is going on here?]

Jesus makes a clear distinction between total cleansing and daily cleansing.

A Roman who bathed at the public baths would be clean all over, but in his walk home from the baths, his sandaled feet would get dirty.

Jesus makes a clear distinction between total cleansing and total uncleanness. It distinguishes between Peter and Judas (John 13:2, 10).

Jesus also makes a distinction between total cleansing and daily forgiveness.

We come to Christ to admit to Him our dirty feet, our dirty acts, our dirty attitudes, and when we do, He stoops to cleanse us.

When each day we allow Him to wash our feet, as stained as they are, we recognize our own need of cleansing. People like that are prepared to serve others.

When we serve because Jesus has first served us, we serve as men and women in debt to Him – not as spiritual snobs.